Convertible excavating machine



H. H. HARRIS.

CONVERTIBLE EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17. I919.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. H. HARRIS.

CONVERTIBLE EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I7, I919.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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H. H. HARRIS.

CONVERTIBLE EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I7. I919.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

H. H. HARRIS.

CONVERTI'BLE E XCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men MAR. 11, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOLLIS H. HARRIS, OF LORAIN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE THEW SHOVEL COMPANY, OF LORAIN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFOHIO.

CONVERTIBLE EXCAVATING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 17, 1919. Serial No. 282,999.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HoLLIs H. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lorain, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Convertible Excavating-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an excavating machine, and the principal object thereof is to provide for converting an excavating machine from a type operating a clam shell bucket to a dipper shovel and vice versa with comparatively very slight changes in existing constructions and without impairing the efliciency while operating as either character of machine. In carrying out my invention I use an excavating machine primarily adapted for operating a clam shell bucket, and by very slight mechanical change in the mechanism I arrange for removing the usual'boom and bucket and substituting a boom provided with a slide and a dipper and dipper stick carried by the slide, and I so connect the operating mechanism with the slide and dipper that the mechanism may be operated by the same controlling levers to effectively operate the dipper.

My invention is hereinafter more fully described in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings, and the essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of an excavating device of a clam shell type; Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation of a dipper stick type of excavating device illustrated as connected to an operating means carried in any suitable housing; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the structure as shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the housing being broken away to indicate drums for operating the cables connected with the clam shell bucket and boom; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view showing more in detail the arrangement of the boom for the dipper and dipper stick; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the mechanism within the housing for operating the clam shell bucket or dipper; Fig. 6 is a plan of the same.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a suitable truck frame, shown as mounted o wheels 2 and supporting a frame 3 swivelly mounted on the frame 1, there being rollers 4 en- Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

gaging a suitable track on the frame-1 and I on which the superstructure is supported. At 6 is indicated a gear within'the track adapted to be engaged by a pinion, not shown, driven by mechanism within the housing for rotating a truck, after the manner of the usual construction of such excavating devices.

10 indicates a suitable housing for the operating mechanism and motor or engine. 5 indicates a boom supporting a clam shell bucket 15. Cables 12 and 13 are used for raising and operatingthe opening and closmg of the clam shell bucket. The cable 12 is shown as winding over a drum 22. The

cable 13 winds on a drum at 18. A cable 19, extending over suitable sheaves connected with the link 20 is used for raising and tached to brackets mounted on the frame 3,

substitute a boom 25 and attach it at 7 to the same brackets.- here the upper end of the dipper-stick is to move horizontally, and in shovels of the Thew type, I provide the boom 25 with structural frame work ineluding substantially horizontal slides 26 in which acarriage 27 is movable toward and awayfrom the frame, while the dipper 30 is supported on a dipper stick 31 pivoted at 32 to such carriage. The carriage may be moved toward and away from the frame by means of a flexible member, preferably a chain 35, extending over a pulley 36 and over a sprocket 37 on a shaft 38.

The drums 18 and 18*" to which the cables 13 and 19 respectively are led, when operating the clam shell, may be locked together, and a sprocket arranged thereon, as will be presently described, for driving a sprocket chain 1O extending over a sprocket wheel 41 rigid with the shaft 38. This accomplishes the movement of the dipper-stick toward and away from the truck and superstructure, while the dipper may be swung about its pivot 32 upwardly bymeans of a'cable 50 v extending over a pulley block 51 suitably connected with the dipper 30, as by means of a bail 52. This cable is shown as extending over a pulley 51 at the upper end of the boom 25 and onto the drum 22.

In using a dipper-stick type of excavating machine the boom carrying the dipper stick is preferably rigid with relation to upward and downward movement. Accordingly, the boom may be attached to the superstructure by the use of a brace rod, indicated at 55, which is shown as attached to a standard 14: mounted on the superstructure. This standard is ordinarily present in this type of clam shell machine being equipped at its top with sheaves which may be used for supporting the boom holding cable.

To more fully illustrate the present invention, the mechanism commonly used for a clam shell bucket, and which I have adapted by this invention to the operation of the dipper, is illustrated somewhat in detail in Figs. 5 and 6 and will now be briefly described.

The frame 3 supports a platform on which is mounted a motor 62 driving a gear 63 in turn meshing with a gear 61 on a shaft supported in suitable bearings and extending transversely of the frame. The gear 64 is preferably loose on the shaft 65 and adapted to be connected thereto by means of a clutch 67 which may be operated through link and rock shaft mechanism con trolled by a lever 68. The drum 22 is shown as loosely mounted on a shaft 70 ahead of and parallel with the shaft 65 while a pinion 71 on the shaft 65 meshes with a gear 72, rigidly mounted on the shaft 70 and adapted to drive the drum 22 by means of a clutch 74 operated by a rod 75 which may extend through rock shafts and links to a lever 7 9. The gear 72 in turn drives a gear on a shaft 81 on which the drum 18 is mounted. The gear 80 is preferably loose on this shaft and adapted to be clutched therewith through rock arms 82, 84 and link 85, leading to a rock arm or a rock shaft 87 controlled by a lever 88. The drum 18 is shown as mounted on the shaft 81 beside the drum 18 and adapted to be driven by a gear 90 in turn driven by an idler 91 meshing therewith and also meshing with a gear 93 on the shaft 70. The gear 93 is preferably rigid on t e shaft 70, while the gear 90 may be clutched with the drum 18 by means of rock arms 95. 96, link 97 and a rock arm 98 on the rock shaft 87, whereby the lever 88 when operated in one direction may cause the drum 18 to be driven and when operated in the other direction may cause the drum 18 to be driven in the opposite direction.

In the normal operation of the clam shell bucket the motor 62 is running continuously,

which drives the gear 64 and shaft 65, preferably continuously, the clutch 67 being released only to allow free starting to the motor. This causes the gearing 71, 72 and 80 to be continuously driven. The shaft 70 is also continuously driven, causing the gears 93, 91 and 90 to run continuously. The drums 18 and 22 remain stationary, held by suitable brakes on brake bands associated therewith, the brakes for the drums 18 and 22 being shown as operated by footpedals 100 and 101 respectively.

At 110 is shown a shaft on which is mounted. a bevel gear 111 driven by a bevel gear 11.2 on a shaft 113 on which the gear 91 is mounted. This shaft may be driven with the gear 91 when desired by operating a clutch 1141 having a member splined to the shaft. The shaft 110 is connected below the superstructure to truck-driving mechanism to accomplish the propulsion of the excavating device. A shaft 120 carrying a bevel gear 121 may be driven by a bevel pinion 122 in turn driven by a gear 123 meshing with a gear 124 on the shaft 65 and adapted to be clutched therewith by a suitable clutch mechanism 126. The shaft 120 may carry a pinion meshing with the stationary gear 6 to rotate the superstructure with relation to the frame whenever desired.

To use the same mechanism as just described for operating the dipper I use a sprocket wheel 42 preferably forming a flange on the drum 18. Bolts 4 1 extending through distance pieces 45, make one rigid drum on the shaft 81, adapted to be driven in either direction under the control of the clutches and lever mechanism operated by the lever 88. The sprocket wheel 11 receives the sprocket chain 40 and may by the construction shown be used to drive the chain 35 in opposite directions to operate the carriage 27 supporting the dipper and dipper stick.

To swing the dipper upwardly about its pivot the cable 50 is led over the drum 22 which may be operated to wind the cable end or release it under the control of a brake band 132 operated by a rock arm 133 connected by a rock arm and link mechanism 134 with the pedal 101. It is to be understood that the sprocket and chain 40 may operate any type of dipper gearing.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In an excavating machine, alined drums. means for rotating the drums independently in opposite directions, and means for connecting the drums together whereby they may be rotated as a unit.

2. In an excavating machine, adapted to operate interchangeable mechanisms comprising booms and load receiving receptacles of different types and to operate the same, a pair of drums and cables for operating one of said mechanisms, and means for securing together said drums and connecting them with the other mechanism.

3. In an excavating machine, adapted to operate interchangeable load receiving mechanisms, a pair of drums adapted to run in opposite directions having cables thereon for operating different portions of one of said mechanisms independently, and means for connecting together said drums for gearing them with the other mechanism.

4. In an excavating machine adapted to operate a clam shell bucket, or a dipper carriage, and a boom for each, a pair of drums, means for selectively actuating said drums whereby they may operate the clam shell bucket and move its boom respectively, and means for connecting said drums whereby they may operate the dipper carriage.

5. In an excavating machine, adapted to operate a movable boom and a clam shell bucket therefor or a dipper carriage and dipper with a relatively fixed boom, a pair of alined drums, means for selectively actuating said drums in opposite directions so that they may operate the clam shell bucket and its boom respectively, a sprocket on one of said drums and means for connecting said drums whereby they may operate the dipper carriage from said sprocket.

6. In an excavating machine three independent mechanisms, a pair of drums having cables therefrom connecting two of said mechanisms, means for selectively operating said drums and means for rigidly con necting them together and to the third mechanism whereby they may operate the latter.

In an excavating machine, a pair of alined drums having cables therefrom connected to two independent mechanisms, means for selectively operating said drums, a sprocket wheel rigid with one of said drums adapted to receive an operating chain, and bolts for connecting together said drums whereby they may operate a third mechanism through said sprocket chain.

8. In an excavating machine, an operating mechanism adapted to operate a clam shell bucket and a boomtherefor, or a boom interchangeable therewith and supporting a dipper stick and dipper thereon, comprising independent drums adapted to operate cables leading to said first boom for operating the same, and adapted to operate the interchangeable mechanism when said drums are connected to operate as a unit.

9. In a power excavating machine, an operating mechanism comprising a pair of drums adapted to run in opposite directions, and means for gearing said drums together, whereby they may operate cables connected to a clam shell bucket, and boom means, or may be connected to drive the carriage of an excavating shovel along a trackway carried by its boom.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

HOLLIS H. HARRIS. 

